Mechanism or apparatus for loading and counting cans.



No. 823,780. PATENTED JUNE 19, 1906.

J. G. HODGSON. MEGHANISM 0R APPARATUS FOR LOADING AND GOUNTING GANS.

APPLICATION FILED MAILS, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 PATBNTED JUNE 19, 1906.

J. G. HODGSON. MEGHANISM 0R APPARATUS POR LOADING AND COUNTING CANS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.6,1905.

2 SHEETB-SHEBT 2.

Hy Wwe mmey 'wheeled frame having wheels a to enable the .between the two runways.

".Uiviiin STATES PATENT' OFFICE.

JOHN G. HODGSON, OF MAYWOOD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CAN COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 19, 1906.

Application filed March 6, 1905-. Serial No. 248.7%.

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN G. HoDGsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Ma wood, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Imrovement in Mechanism or Apparatus for oading and Counting Cans, of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to improvements in mechanism for loading and counting cans.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine or apparatus of a simple, efficient, and durable construction by means of which cans may be automatically, rapidly, and accurately counted and loaded into cars or other vehicles.

My invention consists 'in the means I employ to practically accomplish this object ,or result-that is to say, it consists, in connection with a Wheeled frame or carriage and one or more counters, each furnished with a spider or Wheel adapted to be turned by contact with the cans, of a curved runwa along which the cans may be rolled, a belt fbr'rolling the cans along the curved runway, a curved elevating-runway and a belt for rolling the cans along the curved elevated runway, a rotating wheel located between the counting-runway andthe elevating-runway, and a flexible strip or member connecting the counting-runway with the elevatin runway, and thus causing the cans to be de ivered by the rotating wheel at the angle or junction My invention also consists in the novel devices and vnovel combinations of parts and devices herein shlvntnd described. d f

t e accom anyin rawm' gs, ormin a part of this spelificatin, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a can counting and loading machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation. Fig. 4 is a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is avertical section on line 5 5 of Fig. 1. In the drawings, A represents a carriage or machine or apparatus to be readily moved and turned into different positions inthe factory as ma be necessary in taking the cans from the dischar e-runway of the can-making machines an delivering them into cars,

vehicles, vor stora e-warehouses. The frame, or carriage A pre erably comprises a base or platform a and uprights a2. The counters or counting devices B, which are preferably three in number, Aso that each can will be counted three times, are each furnished with a rotating countingshaft b, having a spider or star-wheel b', the arms b2 of which are preferably curved to correspond to the curvature of the cans'to be counted, may be of any suitable or Well-known construction now on the market and familiar to those skilled in the art. The counters B are arranged tandem, or one after another, along the cancounting runway C, which is slightly curved u ward or toward the counters and prefera ly arranged in an inclined position on the portable frame or carriage A.

D D are can-rolling belts traveling onpulleys d d. The shaft d2 of the pulleys is d adjustably mountedon a pivoted arm or lever F, having slots f to receive the shaft d2, so that the pulleys d may be adjusted in respect to the upwardly-curved can-counting runway C. To regulate the tension or pressure of the belts D u on the cans :c as they roll along the. curvedp runway C, a spring F', attachedto the frame A at one end and to the lower end of the lever F at its opposite end, keeps the belt D under tension.

G is an upwardly-extending inclined and curved can-loadin runway, and H is a canrolling belt for rol ing cans up this runway. The belt H travels upon ulleys h h', the upper pulley h having its s aft h2 journaled in an adjustable bracket h3 on the frame A, and which adjustable bracket is furnished with an adjusting-screw h4, by which the tension of the can-ro1ling belt H and its consequent grip upon the cans a: may be regulated or ad- ]usted as required to properly oad the cans upon the curved loading-runway G. The pulley h for the belt H is on the shaft d3 of the pulley d. Secured on'this same shaft d3 .is a can-rolling wheel or pulley, the same being preferably the belt-pulley h for the elevating-belt H, which coperates with a fiexible member or connection K, extending between and connecting the can-counting runway C and can-loading runway G. One end of this flexible connection K, which is prefer- IOO , loading runway ably of heavy canvasis connectedi with. the frame through a spring K to keep the same under proper tension.

@wing to the curvature or camber ofthe canrunways C and; G.- toward their respective can-rolling belts D and H, these belts exert a positive and uniform grip and pressure in a uniformmanner andzpast theyspiders b Vof the counters B, and the whole mechanism is thus enabled to be made small in weight and of an easily portable or movable character. The power is communicated to the driving-shaft d3 from the electric motor M on the carriage A through the driving-belt on the pulley m of' the motor-shaft m2 and the pulley m? on the-driving-shaft da: rlhe upright curved or cambered can-loading runway G elevates and delivers the cans onto-arunwayN and discharges them into a car, vehicle, or warehouse, as may be desired". The elevating or G is preferably also rnished with a hinged door G, so. that when desired. the cans may be dischargedl into a discharge-runway N at a. lesser height.

By employin two can-counter-runwa belts D 1D', para lel to each other, space 1S afforded between: the two belts DD for the s iders orstar-wheels b of the counters B.

he loading or-elevati'ng belt H is driyen at a higher speed: than t-he counter-beltsD, so as to space the cans farther apart as they are beingrolled? up the elevating-runway G. This is effected by employing a pulley h of larger diameter than the pulley d of the belts D:

I claim- 1'. In a can loading and counting machine, the combination with a portable or wheeled fA 'ine or carriage, of a curved or-cambered can-counting runway, an endless beltfor rollingthe cans along said counting-runway, a can-counter having a spider or counterwheel arranged in the'path of the cans to be engaged thereby as they rollf along said commer-runway, an upright or elevating curved orcambered can-loading runway,

r endless fiexible belt for rollingthe cans up .-aid' runway, a flexible connection or strip connecting' saidean-counf' 1g and said can'- loading runways, and a wheel` or pulley cooperating with saidflexible connection to deliver the cans from saidcan-counting runway to said' can-loading runway, substantially as specied.

2, The movablecan loading and.' counting machine, consistingi in the combination. with a portable or-whee ed frame or carriage, of a curved1 or cambered can-counting runway, an endless belt for rolling the cans alongsai'd counting-runway, a can-counter having a spider or counter-wheel arranged in the path of the cans to be engaged therebyT as they roll along said counter-runway, an upright or elevating curved* or camberedcan-loading I the combination wit runway, an endless. flexible belt for rolling the cans up said runway, a flexible connection or strip connecting said can-counting and said can-loading runways, a wheelor .pulley co erati'ng withsaid flexible connection to deliver the cans from said. can-counting runway to said can-loading runway, and

means fon'adjusting the upper pulley of; the .can elevating or loadlng runway, substantiallyas specified.

3. In a can loadin and counting machine, a portable or wheeled frame or carriage, of a curved o'r cambered can-counting runway, an endless belt f or rolling-the cans along saidl counting-runway,

a, can-counter having a spider or counterwheel arranged in the path of1 the cansto-be engaged therebyas they roll along saidi counter-runway, an upright or elevatingcurved or cambered can-loading-runway, an endless fiexible belt for rolling the cans up said runway, afiexible connection or strip connecting saidcan-counting and said canloading runways, a wheel or pulley' coperati'ng with said flexible connection to deliver the cans from saidv can-counti'n runwa to said can-loading runway, one o the pu leys of' said can-counterl runwaybeing mounted' on a vibrating arm, furnished with a spring to keep the beltundertensionsubstantially as specified. 4. rPhe combina-tionwith a our-vedI orcamberedf can-counter runway, a belt for'rollin the cans along the same, pulleys for saidbelt, a spring-actuated tension-arm uponv which one of said pulleys is mounted, and a counter having its spider' or counter-wheel IOO inthe path ofv the cans asthey roll: along said I runway, whereby the counterv mechanism is actuated by the cans without shock substantially as specified.

5. rlfhe combination with a can-(counter, of a curved orcambered can-counter runway anda belt for rolling thecans alongsaid curved' runway, sail counter-having a spider or counter-wheelprojectingin the path of the cans as they are rolled alongsaidf runway by said belt, whereby the counter is smoothly actuatedI by the cans andx without blows therefrom substantially as specified.

6. The combination with a curved or cambered can-counter runway, of:- a can-rolling belt, a counter, a curved or-camberedV elevating-runway, a belt fior-rollingA the cans-u said runway` a fiexible stri connecting sai runways, co era-ting wit the lower pulley of the can-e evating belt to deliver the cans from the counter-runway to the elevating or loading runway, substantially as specified'.

'2. rlihe movable or ortable can coun-ting and loading machine iierein shown and described, consisting in the combination with a curved or cambered'I can-counter runway, of' a can-rolling belt, a counter, a curved or I il'.

IIO

c-ambered elevating-runway, a belt for rolling the cans up said runway, a exible strip connecting said 'runways coperatin with the lower pulley of the can-elevatingelt to deliver the cans from the counter-runway to the elevating or loadinP runway, and a wheeled frame" upon W ch the same is mounted, substantially as specified.

8. The combination with a curved or cambered upwardly-extending can loading or elevating runway, of an Aendless belt for rolling the cans up said runway, substantially as specified. i

9. The movable o'r portable can-body mechanism consisting in the combination with a curved or cambered upwardly-extending can loading or elevating runway, of an endless belt for rollin the cans up said runway, and a wheeled rame upon which )tibi-ei same is mounted, substantially as specil0. The combination with a curved or cambered can loading or elevating runway, of an endless belt for rolling the cans up said runway,y a can-counting runway and a counter and a flexible connection between said two runways, cooperating with the belt-pulley of the elevating-runway to roll said belt, and means for adjusting the upper pulley of said belt, substantially as specified. l12. The combination with a curved or cambered can loading or elevating runway,

. of an endlessbelt for rolling the cans up said runway, a can-counting runway and a counter and a flexible connection between said two runways, coperating with the beltpulley of the elevating-runway to roll the cans along said flexible connection to the' elevating-runway, and a spring for keeping said exible connection under tension, substantially as specified.

JOHN G. HODGSON.

Witnesses:

H. M. MUNDAY, EDMUND ADoooK. 

